Street Life: Get Creative With Your House Number

Give your house number an eye-catching touch that complements your home.

Finding my house used to be a challenge – we’re a bit tucked away and our house number used to blend in with its surroundings. I was getting tired of watching my deliveries whiz by – not to mention, having to flag down guests as they circled the block – so I decided I needed to make our house number stand out.

But rather than buy pricey ceramic house numbers, which tend to eventually fall off or lose their color, I decided to get creative. If you’re ready to make your house number stand out on the block, try one of the three tips below that goes with your home's style.

Painted PlantersIf you have steps leading up to your porch, or a bench or tree stump in the front yard where you can display the planters, this is the project for you.

Choose planters in a color that complement your home, and figure out how many you will need. (If your house number is 122, for example, buy three.)

Next, open a blank document in a word processor and choose a font. After enlarging the numbers to fit the planters, print and then cut them out with a craft knife or scissors to create a stencil.

When your stencils are ready, secure them to the planters with tape. Use a sponge to fill in the stencils with a shade of acrylic paint that contrasts with the color of your planters. Once the numbers are dry, fill the planters with your favorite flowers and arrange them in the correct numerical order.

Tip: Don't stop at the planters! Purchase and paint wooden numbers from your neighborhood home improvement store and attach them to paint sticks to place in a planter on your front porch!

Whimsical BirdhousesHead to the hardware store and purchase the numbers you need in whatever design you prefer. Then, instead of hanging them directly on your house, mix things up by hanging the numbers on birdhouses or other objects that fit in a natural setting.

Nail each of the numbers to its own birdhouse. Then, hang the birdhouses on your home in the correct order.

Natural Moss PaintThis is a charming project that works well if your home has some brick exterior. Make a batch of "moss paint" by combining a couple handfuls of moss, a teaspoon of sugar and 12 ounces of water in a blender. Mix well until a paste forms, and then use a paintbrush to paint your numbers onto the brick. Spritz the moss with water on a daily basis, and your house number will eventually grow on your home.

Have you used any creative displays for your house number? Share them in the comments section below!